BRUSSELS – A culture war between Hungary and the European Union escalated on Wednesday after a senior bloc official said she would use all her resources to thwart a new Hungarian law that critics say will target the LGBT community.
The law banning the representation or promotion of homosexuality in persons under the age of 18, an addition to the laws against pedophiles, was passed by the Hungarian parliament but has yet to be approved by the country’s president.
The law was sharply criticized on Wednesday by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
“This Hungarian bill is a shame,” Ms. von der Leyen said in a statement. “This law clearly discriminates against people based on their sexual orientation. It contradicts the basic values of the European Union: human dignity, equality and respect for human rights. “
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who defended the law, will come under pressure to withdraw it at a meeting of EU leaders on Thursday and Friday. It is the most recent confrontation between the European Union and Mr Orban, who describes himself as an advocate of an “illiberal democracy” that can sometimes run counter to the democratic values of the bloc.
Ms von der Leyen described the European Union as a place “where you can be free who you are and love whoever you want” and added: “I will use all the powers of the Commission to protect the rights of all EU citizens are guaranteed. Whoever they are and wherever they live in the European Union. “
European ambassadors denounced the law on Wednesday in background information before the summit and said it violated the treaties of the European Union and crossed red lines. They expressed the hope that Mr Orban would withdraw from challenging Brussels in the way he has sometimes done in the past.
There is no quick fix if Hungary enforces the law, said the diplomats. But the Commission, which is officially the guardian of compliance with the Treaties, could refer Hungary to the European Court of Justice for a violation. The court could act relatively quickly if it wanted to, and Hungary has respected its decisions in the past.
The proposed law prohibits the distribution of homosexuality or gender affirmative surgery content to anyone under the age of 18 in school sex education programs, films, or advertisements. The government says it aims to protect children, but critics of the law say it combines homosexuality with pedophilia.
In a response on Wednesday, the Hungarian government issued a statement saying that Ms. von der Leyen’s statements were “based on false allegations” and reflected “a biased political opinion without a prior, impartial investigation”.
The statement continues: “The recently passed Hungarian law protects the rights of children, guarantees the rights of parents and does not apply to the rights of those over 18 with regard to sexual orientation, so it does not contain any discriminatory elements.”
Mr. Orban has portrayed himself as a defender of traditional Christian and national values which he believes are being undermined by new concepts of sexual identity and behavior. His government is also under pressure for its performance, particularly its response to the coronavirus. As a result, Mr Orban has used such cultural issues to strengthen his conservative base ahead of next year’s elections.
A European Union official said Ms. von der Leyen wanted to send a political message to Hungarians and planned to speak privately with Mr. Orban about the issue.
On Tuesday, when European ministers met in Luxembourg, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said the law is only aimed at pedophiles and does not restrict adult sexual freedom. “The law protects children in such a way that it is the exclusive right of parents to educate their children about sexual orientation up to the age of 18,” he said. “This law says nothing about the sexual orientation of adults.”
Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands issued a joint statement condemning the law as a violation of the right to freedom of expression and as a “blatant form of discrimination based on sexual orientation”.
Ireland’s European Minister Thomas Byrne said: “I am very concerned – it is wrong what happened there.” Mr Byrne called it “a very, very dangerous moment for Hungary and also for the EU”.
Germany’s European Minister Michael Roth spoke of concerns that both Hungary and Poland are violating the rule of law by restricting the freedoms of the courts, academics and the media, as well as the rights of women, migrants and minorities.
“The European Union is not primarily a single market or a monetary union,” said Roth. “We are a community of values, these values bind us all,” he said. “There must be no doubt that minorities, including sexual minorities, must be treated with respect.”
In an effort to get a public response, the city of Munich promised to light up its stadium in the rainbow colors of the Pride flag when Germany meets Hungary at the European Football Championship on Wednesday evening, but was refused by the game’s board. UEFA, who said the game must be kept free of politics.
The passionate soccer fan Orban has decided to cancel a visit to the Bavarian capital Munich for the game and instead to travel directly to Brussels, according to the German press agency dpa. The Hungarian government said it had never commented on Mr Orban’s “private program”.
Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder said Germans should “stand up against exclusion and discrimination,” while the Munich gay community said rainbow flags would be distributed to fans outside the stadium. A number of other stadiums in Germany should shine in rainbow colors.
Monika Pronzcuk contributed to the reporting.
